Detecting HIV Viruses Is Now Easier By Only Using A Smartphone

Detecting HIV viruses is now easy by this portable smartphone-based technology

The traditional methods for monitoring HIV viruses are high-cost and needing polymerase chain reaction - PCR usage.

Hadi and his team created a system using nanotechnology, microchip, smartphone, and 3D-printed device, that helps detect the RNA nucleic acids in only one blood drop.

The platform can realize the HIV nucleic acids via a motion of DNA-engineered beads, but don't need to use the high-cost devices. Experts indicated that the device can detect HIV viruses with 99.1% specificity together with 94.6% sensitivity at the threshold amount of 1,000 virus particles/ml and giving the result in 1 hour. The total costs for purchasing phone attachment, microchip and reagents are no more than $5 for one full test.